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On Thursday, February 22, Zachary Amarante, age 28, was arrested for the Windham County incident, which happened in Woodstock, Connecticut State Police said.
Starting in August 2023, Amarante allegedly began talking to his then-13-year-old victim over the app Snapchat after meeting on a different site. She would turn 14 shortly after the two began communicating.
Police said Amarante communicated with the girl under the name Mark Briggs, whom she believed to be the age of 22.
Multiple times, Amarante reportedly met up with the victim, where the alleged assault took place. One witness told police that Amarante had told the victim that he “thought it would be cool to teach her things.”
The girl later told a trusted source about her relationship with Amarante, who then contacted the authorities.
According to police, further evidence on Snapchat revealed that while Amarante was talking sexually to his victim, was more than aware of her age, at one point referring to her as “my sexy lil [sic] 14-year-old” and writing, “I’m glad you think I’m hot. I think you’re also very attractive.”
An investigation of his phone number uncovered that the supposed 22-year-old Briggs was actually 28-year-old New Haven County resident Amarante, of Branford.
He was nabbed on an active arrest warrant and charged with the following:
- Risk of injury to a minor, three counts; and
- Second-degree sexual assault, three counts.
Amarante was held on a $500,000 bond while awaiting his arraignment, which was scheduled to be held at Danielson Superior Court on Friday, Feb. 23.
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